Right to Information Under the GIPA Act

The Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (‘the GIPA Act’) commenced on 1 July 2010 and replaced the Freedom of Information Act 1989 (NSW) (the FOI Act). The objective of the Act is to:

• make government information more accessible to the public by requiring government agencies to make certain sorts of information freely available;
• create new rights to information that are designed to meet community expectations of more open and transparent government; and 
• encourage government agencies to proactively to release government information.

The Commission has published a range of documents and information on our website that have been made available under section 23 of the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009. Please refer to the Policy and Other Agency Documents page to access this information.

Members of the public can apply to government agencies such as the Commission for access to government information.

What are the Requirements?

Information held by the Commission which relates to its investigative functions cannot be accessed via a GIPA application because it is excluded from release by law.

The GIPA Act 2009 and the Crime Commission Act 2012 have specific provisions which either prohibit or limit the public release of such information.

An access application is required to meet a number of formal requirements set out under the GIPA Act, including:

• it must be in writing sent to or lodged at an office of the agency concerned, 
• it must clearly indicate that it is an access application made under the GIPA Act,
• it must be accompanied by a fee of $30, 
• it must state a postal address as the address for correspondence in connection with the application,
• it must include such information as is reasonably necessary to enable the government information applied for to be identified.

How to Make a GIPA Application

To formally request information under the GIPA Act, complete the GIPA Application Form and send by post to:

Government Information Officer NSW Crime Commission
453 - 463 Kent Street
SYDNEY NSW 2000
AUSTRALIA

Further information on making an access application or accessing information held by the NSW Crime Commission, can be obtained by contacting the NSW Crime Commission’s Government Information Officer through the online Enquiry Form.

You can find out more about your right to information and new ways to access NSW Government information on the Information and Privacy Commission website.